Summary
A business license 💬Gewerberlaubnis is an additional permit required for certain trades in Germany, beyond standard trade registration. It confirms professional qualifications, factual requirements (e.g., premises, financial standing), and personal reliability. Many regulated sectors—such as finance, healthcare, real estate, and hospitality—must obtain approval from the relevant authority before operating. Responsibilities for issuing licenses vary by federal state and trade. Even where no license is needed, skilled trades typically must register with the local Chamber of Crafts.
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What is a business license?
In Germany, you usually only need a trade registration💬Gewerbeanmeldung to notify the authorities about your new business. However, for some professions, you need a business license 💬Gewerbeerlaubnis as well. The permit is a check of someone’s qualifications and personal and spatial eligibility.
📌 If you need a special license for your profession, the application has to be an attachment to your trade registration.
Who needs a business license?
Not everyone is free to pursue any trade in Germany—despite the freedom of trade. Depending on the business, you may need a business license, which is issued by a competent authority.
⚠️ The following list is not complete
Before pursuing a particular trade, it is essential to find out from the authorities exactly which licenses or permits you will need.
| Occupation |
Required license |
Responsible authority |
| Accommodation provider | Only requires a license if alcohol is served to “non-guests” of the accommodation provider. Guests are overnight guests in this context. | Verbraucherschutzamt |
| Accounting assistant | The preparation of income tax returns, bookkeeping and payroll accounting is not subject to the ban on unauthorised assistance in tax matters (§ 6(4) StBerG).
The person must have passed their final apprenticeship exam and worked in accounting for at least 3 years with an average of at least 16 hours per week. |
Gewerbeamt |
| Airline | Permission as per air traffic act (§ 20 LuftVG). | Luftfahrt-Bundesamt |
| Ambulance, rescue and emergency service | Commercial ambulance services require a permit as per rescue services act in your state. | Behörde für Inneres or similar |
| Animal trade and breeding | The commercial breeding and holding of animals, vertebrate animals trade, the operation of an animal carnival or riding business, and the exhibition of animals all need licensing as per the animal protection act (§ 11 TierSchG). | Veterinäramt |
| Arcades | Anyone operating an amusement arcade or similar business requires a trade license (§ 33i GewO) | Verbraucherschutzamt |
| Auctioneer | A commercial auction of third-party property, real estate and rights is subject to approval (§ 34b GewO). This excludes internet auctions such as eBay. | Verbraucherschutzamt |
| Auditor, chartered accountant | The activity of a sworn auditor requires an official appointment in compliance with German Auditors’ Code (§§ 128ff WPO) | Wirtschaftsprüferkammer |
| Bank, credit institution |
Banking in Germany is highly regulated. You need a license as per the banking act (§ 32 KWG). | Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) |
| Crafts and skilled trades | Commercial craftspeople have to be entered into the register of craftspeople (§ 1 HandwO). | Handwerkskammer |
| Day care centre | The care of children or young people in a day care centres requires a permit (§ 45 SGB VIII). | Behörde für Soziales und Familie |
| Debt collection | Commercial management of the legal matters of third parties in the subject area of debt collection requires authorisation (§ 2 RDG). | Mostly Landgericht with some exceptions. |
| Driving schools |
Operators need a permit as per Driving Instructor Act (§§ 1,2,10 FahrlG) | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Energy, electricity and gas | Suppliers need a license as per the energy industry act (§ 4 EnWG). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Employee leasing | The commercial hiring out of workers must be authorised (§1(1) AÜG). | Landesarbeitsamt |
| Environmental surveyor | License is a requirement for the profession as per the insurance supervision act (§ 10 UAG). | Deutsche Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsgesellschaft für Umweltgutachter mbH |
| Explosives | Permit is a requirement as per the explosives act (§ 7 SprengG). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Fee-based investment consulting |
Permit is a requirement (§ 34h GewO). | Varies depending on the federal state.
Gewerbeamt or Industrie- und Handelskammer |
| Financial services | The provision of financial services on a commercial basis is subject to authorisation under German Banking Act (§ 32(1) KWG). This also includes finance leasing and factoring. | Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) or
Deutsche Bundesbank Hamburg
|
| Firearms and ammunition trade and manufacturing | The manufacture, purchase or sale of firearms ammunition is subject to authorisation (§ 21 WaffG). | Gewerbeamt or
Landespolizeiverwaltung |
| Gambling, betting shops | If you operate games of chance or lotteries, a permit is required under the racing betting and lotteries act. | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Games and slot machines with the possibility of winning | The public, commercial operation of games of skill or games with the possibility of winning (classically fairground stalls, for example) is subject to licensing as per § 33 GewO. | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Geriatric nursing | This occupational title requires permission according to § 1 of the Nursing Care for the Elderly Act. Prerequisites include a state exam | Behörde für Soziales, Familie, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz |
| Hazardous materials | The placing on the market of hazardous materials is subject to authorisation by the prohibited chemicals ordinance (§ 2 ChemVerbotsV). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Hospitality industry | Only if serving alcohol that requires a license under the hospitality law.
*except in Hesse where notifying the Gewerbeamt of the intended sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on-site is enough. |
Ordnungsamt or
Gewerbeamt
|
| Insurer | Permit is a requirement as per the insurance supervision act (§ 8 VAG). | Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
|
| Insurance brokerage or insurance consultant
|
Permit is a requirement (§ 34d GewO). | Industrie- und Handelskammer
|
| Investment company | The shareholders require a license as per German investment code (§§ 17ff, 45(1) KAGB). | Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) |
| Investment consulting and brokerage | These activities require a permit in compliance with Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation (§ 34f GewO) | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Itinerant business, e.g. travelling stylists | The itinerant trade card is required if you make sales outside a fixed commercial establishment (§ 55 GewO). This includes:
|
Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Legal consulting, e.g. pension consultants or freight auditors (not lawyers) | The provision of legal services to external clients requires authorisation as per the Legal services act (§1 RDG). | Amts- oder Landgerichtspräsident |
| Loan brokerage | The brokering of loans requires permission (§ 34c GewO). Commercial traders who broker loans to finance their goods don’t need a permit. | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Lottery | If you operate games of chance and lotteries, a license under racing betting and lotteries Act is required (RennwLottG). | Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten. |
| Mail transport and postal services | Anyone transporting mail needs a license (§§ 5, 6 PostG) | Bundesnetzagentur |
| Mining | Miners need a permit, authorisation (§§ 6,7,8 BBergG) | Varies depending on the federal state:
Oberbergamt or Landesamt für Bergbau
|
| Mobile sales stands | Anyone selling goods commercially at non-designated events—such as private flea markets—typically requires a travelling trade license. This applies when sales take place without prior orders and outside a fixed place of business (§§ 55–60 GewO).
By contrast, selling goods at a designated market, such as a weekly market, does not require this license. |
Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Nuclear facilities
|
License as per atomic energy act (§ 7 AtomG). | Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, nukleare Sicherheit und Verbraucherschutz (BMUV) |
| Passenger transport—trams, buses and vehicles providing regular or occasional services | Anyone transporting passengers by motor vehicle, bus or tram requires a permit (§§ 2, 13 PBefG). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Pawnbrokers | Whoever grants loans commercially against collateral, including interest and costs, requires a permit (§ 34 GewO). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Pharmaceuticals (manufacture, wholesale, placing on the market) | Requires a license in accordance with
As a retailer of over-the-counter medicinal products, proof of expertise is required as per § 50 AMG. |
Industrie- und Handelskammer
|
| Pharmacist | The management of a pharmacy requires a license (§ 1 ApG). | Behörde für Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz
|
| Podiatrist | To practise medical foot care, you must have a license as per the Podiatry Act § 1(1) PodG). | Gesundheitsamt |
| Private employment agency | No license required but approval by a competent body (§ 293 SGB III). | One of the 33 recognised certification bodies. |
| Property developers and building supervisors | Acting commercially as a builder in your own name or on behalf of a third party, preparing or carrying out building projects or acting as a building supervisor for a third party is subject to authorisation (§ 34c GewO). | Varies depending on the federal state.
|
| Real estate agent | Permit is a requirement (§ 34c GewO). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Real estate mortgage broker | Permit is a requirement (§ 34i GewO). | Differs depending on the federal state:
Gewerbeamt or Industrie- und Handelskammer |
| Residential property managers | Permit is a requirement (§ 34c GewO). | Varies depending on the federal state. |
| Road haulage | The paid or commercial transport of goods with motor vehicles with a permissible total weight of more than 3.5 t is subject to licensing (§ 3 GüKG). | The authority in your state that looks after traffic or freight transport. |
| Security services | The guarding of the life, safety or property of third parties is regulated (§ 34a GewO). | Gewerbeamt |
| Tax consulting | The provision of commercial assistance in tax matters requires an appointment (§§ 2, 40 StBerG). Self-employed tax advisers are considered liberal professionals. | Steuerberaterkammer |
| Telecommunications | Providers of telecommunications services have to file a notification with the federal network agency as per the telecommunications act (§ 6 TKG). | Bundesnetzagentur
|
📌 Even if your business activity is not listed here, check in with your local trade office to make sure. If you do need a special license, apply for it in good time so that you can submit them with your trade registration.
📌 Self-employment as a craftsperson and similar skilled trader must be registered with your local Chamber of Crafts.
Requirements for a business license
Within different industries, getting a business license involves meeting specific criteria. Depending on the respective industry, these vary greatly and fall under three categories:
- Professional requirements: A degree or training or further education serves as proof, depending on the required qualification.
- Factual requirements: These concern, for example, the condition of the commercial premises or proof of financial standing.
- Personal requirements: A police clearance certificate, an extract from the central trade register or a clearance certificate issued by the tax office.
Takeaways
Check early whether your activity is permit-required and identify the competent authority. Prepare proof of qualification, premises/financials, and clean records to avoid delays. Remember that missing approvals can trigger fines or block registration. If no license applies, confirm any crafts registration duties with the Chamber of Crafts. Thorough preparation keeps your launch compliant and on schedule.
